Perforating device



E. KERN 2,200,672 PERFORATING DEVICE Original Filed Dec. 14. 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mfem Ema? 17am 1 .7/ 3a 14/ E. KERN PERFORATI N G DEVICE Original Filed Dec. 14, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ImfenIIorf 2222221592 22.

Patented May 14, 1940 UNITED S'iAi'Ed PATENT @FFECE PERFORATING DEVICE Application December 14, 1936, Serial No. 115,821 Renewed December 7, 1939 3 Claims.

The invention relates to punches and more particularly to perforating devices adapted for perforating sheets of mate rial to facilitate binding them with prong fasteners or by other suit able means in sheaves, files or binders.

An object of the invention is to provide a sturdy, eiiicient and relatively inexpensive perforating device embodying a number of practical improvements, and especially a device in which the principal parts thereof may be readily constructed of sheet metal.

Another object is to provide a perforating de vice of the character referred to with a novelly constructed tray to receive bits punched from sheets, having novel means to frictionally retain said tray in place.

Another object is to provide novel means to facilitate insertion of a sheet or sheets into the perforating device.

a, The foregoing and such other objects of the invention as will become apparent as the descri tion proceeds, will be more readily understood from a perusal of the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l. is a plan viewof the perforating device, showing a portion of the gauge bar broken away.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. is a sectional view taken on line t--3 of Fig. 2.

4 is a sectional view taken on line l-fil of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is aperspective view of one of the punch guide standards.

Fig. 6 is an inverted plan view illustrating a modified form of tray, showing a portion of the base broken away.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the tray shown in Fig. 6.

8 is a fragmentary plan view of the device, partially broken away, showing another form of tray.

Figs. 9 and 10 each are fragmentary side elevational views, partially broken away, each illustrating a modified form of guide standard.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, ll indicates a base which may be made of any suitable sheet metal, such as steel, formed with downwardly turned lateral edges 52 having inwardly turned spaced apart lips it upon each of which preferably is secured a rubber foot i l. The front end of the base I i may be suitably closed by,

(Cl. ICE-31) for example. a metal strap l5 which is bent at its ends and may be secured by rivets ill or otherwise to the adjacent end portions of the lateral edges 12. Two or more standards H are secured upon the base it preferably by rivets In, said base having a raised mounting surface it or each standard whereby the rivet heads are elevated above the bottom face of the base.

The standards H are constructed of any suitable sheet metal, preferably steel, and, upon particular reference to Fig. 5, it Will be noted that the sheet metal is bent to generally rectangular form, providing bottom and top walls is and 2!, respectively, and sides 22 having upwardly pro- ,iecting parallel ears The bottom wall l9 and top wall ill have vertical aligned openings 2% and ilfigrespectively, to receive and guide a punch 26. To assure proper alignment of one punch in each standard and to prevent escape of the lower end thereof from the associated opening in the respective bottom Wall is, an upwardly projecting boss 2'! is formed from the body of the metal on each bottom wall l9. Obviously the two aligned openings in each standard afford a rigid guide permitting vertical movement only of respective punch 25.

An operating handle or lever 28 preferably is provided with diverging arms at, which are connected adjacent their free ends, by pins 3!, one to each of the punches 25. Two springs 32. one resting on the top wall 25 of each standard ll, engage the respective pins ill and normally hold the punches 26 in their uppermost position, as best shown 2. The arms 29 of the handle Till also carry fulcrum pins at their ends which extend through slots 3t in the cars 23 of the respective standard ll. The axes of the slots preferably are disposed at an angle to the horizontal plane, and the pins 33 are adapted to ride downwardly in the slots as the handle 2% is depressed. Accordingly, the pivotal center shifts with. the movement of the handle, and true vertical movement of the punches 2%} is as sured without their binding in the guides.

Openings or dies 35 are provided in the base it one beneath each punch 25 for cc-operating therewith when the handle 23 is depressed. Consequently, when the margin of one or more sheets of material is introduced into the space 36 bethe punches it is perforated upon depression of the handle 23. The bits of sheet material thus removed are delivered through the die openings to a tray 31. This tray preferably is formed of sheet metal and has a perpendicular flange 38 at one end and an inclined flange 39 at the opposite end. The bottom Ml of the tray 37 has its margins fitted into opposed grooves 4!, one formed on the inside face of each lateral base edge i2. Obviously the tray may be moved in and out to receive and deliver punched out bits of the sheet material. The upturned flange 38 preferably is sufiiciently high to cause it to have a slight binding engagement with the under face of the base H when the tray is in its innermost position. A cut out 42 on the edge of the base enables the user to engage the edge of the flange 38 to release the tray by pressing downwardly and pulling it outwardly when desired.

The flange 39 preferably is disposed at an incline so that the bits of sheet material are caused to slide rearwardly as they are delivered to the tray. The inclination of this flange obviates a difficulty heretofore experienced in which the bits of sheet material pile up under the punches and tend to jam the device instead of spreading through the tray. With the angularly disposed flange, the bits of sheet material slide rearwardly into the tray and are distributed as they accumulate.

To facilitate the handling of sheet material and the spacing of the perforations therein, an indicator i3 is provided on the surface of the base II midway between the standards II. There is also a depression 44, slotted at each end, in the body of the base H forward of the standards I! to afford a support for a gauge bar 35 which is inserted through slots in the lateral edges of the base and which preferably is slit at 43 to afford a friction engagement. A projection 41 at the end of the gauge bar provides a limit for the edge of the sheet material. Obviously, the gauge bar 45 may be shifted in the base and set at any desired position, so that consecutive sheets of material may be punched with the perforations spaced the same distance from the edge.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the inclined flange 39 on the tray 37* has a split lip or tang 45 extending substantially horizontal beyond its free upper edge for yieldable frictional engagement in an opening 49 provided in the gauge bar depression M. This arrangement tends to frictionally retain the tray in place. In other respects the perforationg device is constructed like that form previously described and like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts.

The tray 37 shown in Fig. 8, has one or more slits 58 adjacent each edge to provide yieldable portions which frictionally bear against the wall of the respective grooves 5! when the tray is in position to receive bits of sheet material. In all other respects this embodiment also is like the form shown in Figs. 1 to 5 and like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts.

The structure illustrated in Fig. 9 is substantially like the device first described and like reference numerals indicate like parts. In this embodiment a hole 52, of larger diameter than the fulcrum pin 33, is provided in each ear 23 instead of the inclined slot previously disclosed. The tray 37 differs from the trays previously described in that it preferably has a depression 53 in its bottom 40 to permit finger engagement for withdrawing the tray from the base. The forward edge of the bottom wall I!) of each standard Il preferably is extended beyond the forward edge of the standard side walls and is inclined upwardly as shown to provide a lip 54 to facilitate insertion of sheet material into the space 36. Each standard Il preferably is formed with a portion of its bottom wall offset downwardly and apertured to receive tangs 55 struck up from the base. The tangs are clinched over the bottom wall, as shown, to rigidly hold the standard in place.

The illustration of Fig. 10 diifers from the previously described forms in that the forward edges of the side walls 22 of each standard l'l is flush with the forward edge of the upwardly inclined lip 54.

The improved perforating devices, with the exception of the punches, springs and necessary pins and feet, are made from sheet metal stamped or otherwise formed in the desired shape. The required operations, as well as the material used, are relatively inexpensive, and the devices can be manufactured at a much lower cost than has been possible heretofore. The structures, being particularly sturdy, will withstand rough and continued usage over long periods.

Although exemplary forms of the perforating device have been illustrated and described in detail it is obvious that various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts shown without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for perforating sheets of material comprising, a base having die openings therein, standards thereon each of sheet metal bent to provide spaced apart ears, a top and a bottom wall on each standard having guide openings in alignment with said die openings, a fulcrum pin journaled in each standard, punches supported in the guide openings, and an operating lever operatively connected to the punches and fulcrumed on said pins operable to carry the punches downward to perforate a sheet of material resting over said die openings, and means on each standard to facilitate insertion of the sheet of material beneath said standards and over said die openings.

2. In a perforating device, a tray formed of sheet metal comprising a substantially flat body portion having its marginal end portions folded to provide flanges, one of said flanges extending upwardly substantially at right angles to the body portion end the other flange being inclined upwardly and outwardly, said inclined flange terminating short of the side edges of said body portion, and finger engaging means in the bottom of said tray.

3. A perforating device comprising, a base, standards each of sheet metal bent to provide a top and a bottom with guide openings therein, tangs struck from said base to engage in the bottom of each standard to secure them to the base, a pair of ears extending upwardly from each of said standards, a fulcrum pin journaled in each pair of ears, punches supported in the guide openings, and an operating lever connected to the punches and fulcrumed on said pins.

EMIL KERN. 

